India’s private space sector is nearing a major milestone as Skyroot Aerospace prepares for the first orbital launch of its Vikram 1 rocket.
The Hyderabad based startup is aiming to become the first Indian private company to place a domestically developed rocket into low earth orbit. The Vikram 1 launch vehicle is currently being readied at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Co-founder Bharat Daka said the first stage of the rocket has already reached the launch site and is undergoing integration and assembly. He added that all subsystems are expected to be ready within about 1 month, followed by final validation activities ahead of the debut flight.
The maiden mission will carry around 25 percent of Vikram 1’s intended payload capacity to low earth orbit, a standard approach to reduce risk during a first launch.
Vikram 1 is a 4 stage rocket built for the small satellite launch market. It combines solid propulsion stages with advanced guidance and control systems. Alongside hardware preparations, Skyroot’s mission control team is testing software, communication systems, and real time monitoring tools.
Engineers are conducting simulations and rehearsals to ensure ground systems can track the rocket from liftoff through stage separations.
Skyroot plans to conduct the launch within the next 2 months using an Isro launchpad at Sriharikota. While the company is targeting orbit on its first attempt, leadership has acknowledged the risks involved in a maiden flight.
Bharat said the mission would be considered a success even if the rocket clears the launch tower, passes maximum aerodynamic pressure, and achieves first stage separation. These milestones would validate key propulsion, structural, and guidance systems.
Skyroot expects to gather a “treasure trove of data” from the flight to refine Vikram 1 and future launch vehicles, marking an important step for India’s private space ambitions.
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